Veneer and plywood slicing attachment



July 16, 1968 K. A. SMITH VENEER AND PLYWOOD SLICING ATTACHMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 10, 1966 WW QR NVENTOR KENNETH A. SMITH b\ I" an 3 3 I N a 3 1 f @kfi I H. M. I. H. k L -1 h w bw w I. B -I b'! MN H Qm 3 F 8 f i x mh mm Rm M &\ MN Qw Q Q E w x i v K I GEORGE W. WRIGHT, JR.

July 16, 1968 K. A. SMITH VENEER AND PLYWOOD SLICING ATTACHMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet :3

Filed June 10, 1966 INVENTOR K ENN E T H A. SMITH GEORGE W. WRIGHT: J R.

United States Patent 3,392,766 VENEER AND PLYWOOD SLICING ATTACHMENT Kenneth A. Smith, Gillett, Wis. 54124 Filed June 10, 1966, Ser. No. 556,685 Claims. (Cl. 144-214) This invention appertains to the veneer and plywood industry and more particularly to a new and novel attachment for conventional veneer lathes to convert the same into machines for producing veneer slices from logs or cores of relatively small diameters.

In the veneer and plywood industry it is necessary to convert wooden logs into thin sheets or slices and it is the usual practice to utilize a veener lathe machine which will chuck a log of a relatively large diameter and rotate the same so that it is presented to a slicing knife which first evens the log to a smooth circumference and then proceeds to cut and peel from the log long thin sheets of wood which are then used as veneer or may be cut, layed and pressed to make plywood.

Usually the knife is set so that it purogresses inwardly as the sheet is cut and peeled from the log and when the log reaches a relatively small diameter of say six to seven inches, it is no longer feasible to peel or cut sheets therefrom. Thus, the so-called veneer core becomes waste or is used for fire wood, pulp wood or even if long enough fence posts. However, usually the logs are not long enough to be utilized properly for fence posts and are either burned or disposed of in other ways.

There has long been a need therefore, in the veener and plywood industry to utilize smaller diameter trees from the forest or the veneer logs of relatively smaller diameter to produce thin veneer slices which actually when made into plywood produce a product of greater stability than rotary cut sheets. This is true since the long rotary cut sheet tends to curl and must be firmly straightened and pressed prior to use, whereas the relatively small width slices are straight and thus when placed side by side and particularly where made into the inner plies of plywood, give greater strength and stability to the product. It is therefore a primary object of my present invention to provide an attachment for conventional veneer lathe machines to convert the same into a veneer slicer to utilize the major portion of left over veneer cores and trees and logs of'relatively small diameters.

It is also an important object of my present invention to provide a log holder for veneer cores and small logs which can be readily chucked to a conventional veneer lathe machine and which will firmly hold the small cores or logs during the slicing operation.

A further object of my present invention is to provide a stay log attachment which will eliminate most of the waste prevalent in veneer lathe machines of present usage.

Another object of my present invention is to provide a novel log holder or stay log wherein pivoted jaws are utilized to grip a veneer core or small diameter log in such a manner that the majority of the log can be utilized for producing a sliced veneer strip.

A still further object of my present invention is to provide a novel attachment for conventional veneer lathe machines wherein the pivoted dogs or jaws are individually actuated to accommodate cores or logs of uneven surfaces and wherein constant pressure is applied to each individually actuated set of jaws.

A salient feature of the present invention resides in providing a novel attachment for conventional veneer lathe machines to convert said machines into a veneer strip slicer utilizing cores and logs of relatively small diameters which can be readily and easily attached to and removed from said machines.

Still another object of my present invention is to provide a log holder for small diameter veneer cores and logs which can readily be built as a separate and specific slicing machine particularly adaptable to the plywood industry.

Another salient feature of my invention resides in providing an attachment for standard veneer lathes which can be chucked into the conventional lathes and which will hold a number of veneer cores or logs of small diameters and when rotated will produce thin veneer slices.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple, practical and reliable construction that is relatively economical to manufacture, easy to assemble and positive in its operation. I

With the above and other objects in view, which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of my novel log holder shown attached to conventional parts of a veneer lathe machine, the logs or cores being indicated in dotted lines to illustrate details in construction;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1 of the drawings and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2 of the drawings, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing in full lines a log or core clamped to the holder and illustrating one set of jaws in an open position prior to receiving and clamping a log or a core shown in dotted lines, and

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view of the hydraulic circuit and cylinders for opening and closing relative sets of jaws.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A generally indicates one type of my approved attachment for standard veneer lathe machines.

As previously mentioned conventional veneer lathe machines include rotary heads 10 and 11 to which normally are chucked logs of relatively large diameters and when the members 10 and 11 are rotated the logs rotate and are presented to a knife 12 (note FIGURE 3) which slices or peels. off long thin sheets of veneer from the outer circumference of the logs, and the knife is so set that it moves inwardly as the outer circumference of the log diminishes until a small diameter of say six or seven inches is reached, and then the knife no longer advances and the machine is shut off and the waste veneer core removed. Thus, the attachment A is so constructed that ends 13 and 14 respectively may be keyed or received into the rotating chucks or heads 10 and 11 and adapted to turn the entire attachment as the members 10 and 11 are rotated. 1

In its simplest form, attachment A includes broadly a series of spaced plates or discs 15 held in theirspaced relation by means of longitudinally extending rods 16, 17 and 18, and these rods are preferably rigidly secured to each respective plate and terminate in the end plates 19 and 20 respectively. The plate 20 has secured thereto a hub 21 which carries the aforementioned end piece 14. End plate 19 is provided with an enlarged elongated hub portion 22 (preferably formed integral therewith) and which in turn carries end piece 13. The structure and use of hub 22 will become readily apparent as the description proceeds and it should be noted that supporting rods 16, 17 and 18 respectively are spaced about the outer periphery of the intermediate plates or discs 15 and outer plates 19 and 20 respectively, and rods 17 and 18 are so positioned. as to form anchoring means for the sets of hydraulic cylinders and rams and 26 which are in turn utilized for opening and closing the respective sets of jaws or dogs 27 and 28. Spaced inwardly of the rods 16, 17 and 18 are opposed parallel pairs of bars 29 and 30, respectively and these bars provide bearing surfaces for pivotally mounting the above mentioned sets of jaws or dogs 27 and 28. These rods also aid in strengthening the frame structure of the attachment A to provide a rugged and strong log holder.

In the preferred form of the invention, the attachment A is so constructed as to hold and receive two of the waste veneer cores or small diameter logs and thus the outer periphery of each plate in proper alignment is provided with curved, knurled notches 31 and 32, preferably diametrically opposed one from the other to provide a seat for the logs or cores and these particular notches are located immediately adjacent the pointed dogs or jaws 27 and 28 respectively. Thus, it can be seen that the spaced parallel extending bars 29 (for example) each carry the series of jaws 27 (located adjacent their respective plates 15, 19 or 20), and that each set of jaws includes a freely rotatable jaw member 27' mounted on one bar. The jaws include an outer curved point and an inner hub, the lower inner periphery of which is provided with geared teeth 41 which mesh with corresponding gear teeth 42 of the other pointed j'aw member 43. This jaw member 43 is provided with an extension 44 on its hub to which is pivotally secured, as at 45, one end of a piston rod 46 secured to a double acting piston (not shown) received within the cylinder 26. Each cylinder 26 is provided with an ear extension 27 freely pivoted to rod 18.

The set of piston rods and cylinders 25 are identically formed as are the sets of jaws 28 and thus provide opposed bearing and gripping surfaces for holding two veneer cores to the attachment A. It should be pointed out at this time that it is feasible to provide more than two sets of jaws and pistons so that more than two cores could be held to the attachment, but for the purpose of clarity of illustration and description, only the two sets have been shown. Since all of the jaw members are freely mounted on their respective bars 29 and 30, I provide pairs of spaced collars 50 which are keyed or splined to the bars 29 and 30 to hold the respective jaws against sliding movement on the bars and to firmly hold the same in proper position.

It should be evident that the sets of jaws 27 and 28 respectively could be operated simultaneously and that means could be provided whereby each jaw is splined or keyed to its respective bar and the bar rotated to close the jaw points. However, in the preferred form of the invention, and as illustrated by the drawings, each pair of jaws in the sets 27 and 28 open and close independently of one another, and thus it the log or veneer core should be uneven each pair of jaws will at all times independently close and grip the log to firmly hold the same in place. Thus, each of the double acting pistons and cylinders in the sets 25 "and 26, operates independently of one another, and while air pressure or other type of circuitry could be used, in the preferred form of the invention hydraulic fluid is utilized to open and close the jaws. Thus sets of lines 51 and 52 respectively are provided, one pair 51 for the set of pistons 25 and one pair of lines 52 for the set of pistons 26, and each cylinder is identically formed and includes a line 53 for allowing fluid pressure to enter one side of the cylinder and a line 54 for allowing pressure to enter the other side of the cylinder. While any desired construction may be utilized to enable the lines 51 and 52 to be hooked up to the cylinders, a simple construction is to provide an outer stationary collar 55 which is secured to some form of support 56. This support 56 can in turn be fastened to the floor or other stationary structure and within the collar 55 the hub 22 rotates. The outer periphery of hub 22 is provided with spaced grooves 51 and 52 in alignment with the ports leading from the pairs of lines 51 and 52 and these grooves in turn, are provided with ways or bores opening out to the pipes 57 and 59, respectively, to which each cylinder is connected. To seal the grooves 51' and 52 from one another, I provide the circular seals 58 shown, and these seals may be in the form of O-rings received adjacent each of the ports and grooves as illustrated in FIGURE 2 more particularly. Thus the hub 22 will rotate within the stationary collar 55, and hydraulic pressure or fluid can be directed to the pairs of lines 57 and 59 respectively, and in turn to each individually mounted cylinder. 7

Attention is now directed to FIGURE 4 of the drawings wherein I have shown a diagrammatic View of the fluid circuitry. In the drawings from FIGURES 1 to 3, inclusive, the sets of upper and lower pistons 25 and 26 each have five pistons and five jaws, but in the diagrammatic view, I have illustrated only four sets of pistons 25 and four sets of pistons 26 and thus it can be seen that lines 57 feed the sets 25 and lines 59 feed the sets 26 and that each piston and cylinder is independently moved and constant pressure is applied individually to each piston.

In the operation of the device, the entire attachment A is chucked to the standard and conventional veneer lathe and a veneer core or a log from a small diameter tree is placed on the knurled notches longitudinally with the attachment A. A valve (not shown) is then opened which allows pressure through one of the lines 57 to enter each of the cylinders 25 behind the piston to move piston rod 46 away from the cylinder and thus through the meshed gears, causing the jaws to rotate and the points to enter the log L as shown in full lines of FIG- URE 3. The attachment A is then turned to present the other series of jaws 27 in a longitudinal upward position and another veneer core or log is then placed thereon and by turning a valve allowing fluid pressure to enter one of the lines 59 behind each cylinder 26, the jaws are caused to clamp and close as illustrated by dotted lines in FIGURE 3 about the log L. Thus two logs or cores will be clamped to the attachment. The veneer lathe machine is then actuated and the entire attachment with the log carried thereby will rotate in the direction of the arrows FIGURE 3 and knife 12 will cut off slices S from each of the logs. The cut off slices are indicated by the dotted lines of logs L and L respectively. Again, it should be stressed that since the lines 57 and 59 are open to each of the respective cylinders and pistons involved, constant pressure is placed individually against each piston and thus each individual pair of jaws in each set will individually actuate and constant pressure is placed against the peripheral edges of the log at each respective point. To release the cores after the slices have been cut approximately down to the peripheral edge of the device A, it is merely necessary to turn the valves to allow fluid pressure to enter the other lines 57 and 59 in front of the piston to cause the piston rods to be moved inwardly within the cylinder and through the meshing gears retracting or releasing the points from the small piece of scrap. It should also be stressed that while I have shown the four lines 57 and 59 as being flexible lines, each attached to the individual pistons, that said lines may be built into the machine in the manner of pipes or rods 16 and while I have shown and described certain other specific embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that these embodiments are merely for the purpose of illustration and description, that various other forms may be devised and that changes may be made in the proportions and minor details of construction, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A veneer core and log holder adapted to be chucked to a conventional wood veneer lathe machine of the type having spaced rotary chucking heads and a sheet slicing knife timed to be moved inwardly as said log rotates to out long sheets of material therefrom, including an elongated frame of a size and configuration to fit between said heads and carrying end members adapted to be attached to said machine chucking heads and to rotate therewith, comprising, a series of spaced substantially circular flat plates positioned transversely of said frame, the end plates of said series of plates being formed with enlarged projecting hub portions integral with the means for attaching said frame to said chucking heads, a series of longitudinally extending rods secured to said plates adjacent and within the peripheral edges thereof andterminating in fixed relationship with said end plates, each plate being provided with a plurality of curved knurled notches about its outer periphery of a size and configuration to provide a seat for said cores or logs when said cores or logs are layed longitudinally with said frame, a series of pivoted pointed jaws relatively mounted on certain of said rods in such a manner that said points of the jaws are adjacent a respective plate and said notches, means for opening and closing said jaws to grip a core or log resting on a respective notch, whereby upon rotation of said frame carrying said cores or logs the conventional knife associated with said conventional veneer lathe machine will elfectively cut slices from said logs.

2. A veneer core and log holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein each pair of jaws is individually actuated to grip a respective portion of said veneer core and log.

3. A veneer core and log holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein the diameter of said frame is substantially greater than the inward travel of said knife.

4. A veneer core and log holder of the type set forth in claim 2, wherein each individual pairs of jaws includes a freely mounted jaw carrying gear teeth adjacent one end of its hub in meshed relation with the gear teeth of the other of said jaws, an extension for one of said jaws, said extension being in operative connection with a piston rod operable with a double acting cylinder, and means for inducing fluid pressure on either side of said cylinder whereby each individual pair of jaws will be individually operated.

5. A veneer core and log holder as set forth in claim 4, wherein one of said enlarged hub members is provided with means whereby a stationary collar is attached thereto carrying ports and ways in operative communication for supplying fluid pressure to each individual cylinder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 828,065 8/1906 Smith et a1. 144-162 869,270 10/1907 Smith 144-214 DONALD R. SCHRAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A VANEER CORE AND LOG HOLDER ADAPTED TO BE CHUCKED TO A CONVENTIONAL WOOD VENER LATHE MACHINE OF THE TYPE HAVING SPACED ROTARY CHUCKING HEADS AND A SHEET SLICING KNIFE TIMED TO BE MOVED INWARDLY AS SAID LOG ROTATES TO CUT LONG SHEETS OF MATERIAL THEREFROM, INCLUDING AN ELONGATED FRAME OF A SIZED AND CONFIGURATION TO FIT BETWEEN SAID HEADS AND CARRYING END MEMBERS ADAPTED TO BE ATTACHED TO SAID MACHINE CHUCKING HEADS AND TO ROTATE THEREWITH, COMPRISING, A SERIES OF SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR FLAP PLATES POSITIONED TRANSVERSELY OF SAID FRAME, THE END PLATES OF SAID SERIES OF PLATES BEING FORMED WITH ENLARGED PROJECTING HUB PORTIONS INTEGRAL WITH THE MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID FRAME TO SAID CHUCKING HEADS, A SERIES OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING RODS SECURED TO SAID PLATES ADJACENT AND WITHIN THE PERIPHERAL EDGES THEREOF AND TERMINATING IN FIXED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID END PLATES, EACH PLATE BEING PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF CURVED KNURLED NOTCHES ABOUT ITS OUTER PERIPHERY OF A SIZE AND 